Bob Vander Plaats takes credit for Rick Santorum surge

Just more than a week after endorsing Rick Santorum, Bob Vander Plaats gives himself credit for the candidate's rise in the Iowa polls. A press release this afternoon from the Family Leader:

Eight days ago, Bob Vander Plaats, President & CEO of The FAMiLY LEADER, and Chuck Hurley, President of Iowa Family Policy Center, both personally endorsed Santorum at a press conference. They pledged to devote their time and energy to promote and support Rick Santorum as candidate for the Republican presidential nomination.

According to Bob Vander Plaats, “Since that press conference, everywhere I go, the talk is about Santorum. The buzz I’ve been hearing and the pulse of the voters all indicate a come-from-behind surprise victory for Rick Santorum on January 3rd. Conservative voters are definitely beginning to coalesce around Rick Santorum.”

It's not the first time Vander Plaats has credited his own endorsement for bringing a candidate success — he's long been accused of doing the same with Mike Huckabee's Iowa victory in 2008.

UPDATE: A Family Leader spokeswoman called to argue with the presise that Vander Plaats is claiming credit, and noted he insisted in an interview earlier in the day that he was not doing that.